: Imagine if you would for a moment your weight loss problems gone forever. What would your life be like? What kinds of things would you be able to do as a result? If you were not overweight you might discover what sitting comfortably in a movie theater chair might feel like, or what it would be like to take a long walk with your grandchildren or enjoy the excitement of participating again in your favorite sport. Even your daily routine of toileting, showering and simply getting dressed would be greatly improved. Continue to imagine…what kind of dreams could you be fulfilling if weight was no longer a concern for you? How would you feel about yourself? How much money would you save? Imagine never again having to worry about gaining weight or losing weight. On top of that imagine being able to eat all you want and never worry about your weight! You Can Lose Weight And Always Keep It Off! I know it sounds too good to be true. However, it’s entirely possible to have all that and more. Eating a delicious whole foods, plant based diet can give you all that, plus the added benefit of promoting excellent health. According to T. Colin Campbell, Author of The China Study, a whole foods, plant based diet reduces your risks of heart disease, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, cancer and many other common diseases. Obesity Is A Huge Problem We all know obesity is a huge problem in America today. Yet, there’s probably not one obese person who enjoys being that way. You don’t need the statistics to tell you that 2 out of 3 adults in America are overweight; all you need to do is look around at your friends, family, church members and coworkers. In 2002 American medical care costs related to obesity were listed at $100 billion dollars. Yes, that’s billion! And believe it or not, that’s $30 billion dollars more than was spent in 1999. Doesn’t it seem absurd that we spend billions of dollars each year on medical care related to obesity when there are millions of starving children in our world! Promoting The Problem It is unfortunate that we have a system that promotes obesity. Obesity is promoted by the “super size it”, “more is better”, and “I want it now” mentalities. On top of that, to solve the weight gain problems that our system encourages, the same system promotes “quick fix” weight loss solutions: diet drinks and foods, fad diets, calorie counting, carb counting and food exchange gimmicks. Now The Solution Life does not have to be this way. You can experience freedom from weight loss issues and enjoy the best health of your life! You can eliminate all the worries and the guilt associated with wrong eating. You can make eating a joy and a pleasure not a mathematical equation. According to Dr. Campbell, research has shown over and over again that vegetarians and vegans (people who eat no animal products) are typically significantly slimmer than those who eat the standard American diet. In one study overweight subjects were told to eat all they wanted of foods that were mostly low-fat, whole food and plant-based. In three weeks the subjects on average lost 17 pounds each. Vegetarian Versus Whole, Plant Based Foods I need to give a word of clarification here. One can be a vegetarian and still be overweight. What happens is some vegetarians simply replace meats with refined grains, pastas, breads and sweets. A whole food, plant-based diet is the key to weight loss and an ongoing healthy lifestyle. You can eat all you want of plant based foods in their natural forms, i. e. foods that have not been or have been very minimally processed. Some examples would be fresh raw fruits and vegetables, soaked nuts and seeds (not raw or roasted), brown rice, oat groats, various legumes and beans. Examples of foods that don’t fit the whole food criteria are breads, pastries, milk, cheese, products with refined sugars or artificial sweeteners, canned fruits, soups, and vegetables etc. Making the transition to preparing delicious whole food dishes can be challenging at first. An excellent resource for helping you to do so is Rita Romano’s recipe book, Dining In The Raw-. Another great resource is Hallelujah Acres at hacres. Make Exercise Part Of Your Plan We all know that exercise promotes weight loss. One study suggests that only 15 to 45 minutes of exercise a day will result in maintaining a body weight that is 11 to 18 pounds lighter than it otherwise would be. However, that’s not the whole story. There is also some scientific evidence that suggests that vegetarians have on average a higher metabolic rate, meaning they burn more of their ingested calories rather than depositing them to fat. In another study, rats on mainly a vegetarian diet chose to exercise more than rats on a high animal protein diet. You Have A Choice Obesity and weight loss issues affect millions of people in our nation each year. Largely these problems can be eliminated with the proper education and attitude about what kind of foods promote health. Being overweight is not a problem that will ever be corrected by a diet program or a diet drink! Dr. Campbell says, “the diet that helps to reduce weight in the short run needs to be the same diet that creates and maintains health in the long run….we can control the cause (of obesity). It is right at the end of our fork.” What will you choose to do?